ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, November 16, 1996 TAG: 9611180048
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: TROUTVILLE
SOURCE: MATT CHITTUM STAFF WRITER
The state Department of Environmental Quality is trying to find the source of potentially dangerous petroleum fumes that are finding their way into sewer lines in southern Botetourt County.
Investigators believe a Pilot fuel station near the Interstate 81/U.S. 220 interchange is partly responsible for the fumes. A private contractor hired by Pilot was ventilating the sewer lines Friday, to clear out the fumes and reduce the danger of explosion.
Pilot is "the major suspect," said Robert Howard, a geologist with the DEQ's water division in Roanoke. The Pilot station had a major spill from one of its underground tanks in February 1995, Howard said. That spill is still being cleaned up, and could be one source of the fumes. They could also be coming from a new leak, or a truck may have overfilled one of the tanks, Howard said.
Records for a nearby Truckstops of America station were also checked, but showed no loss of fuel.
"Right now, we're not talking much contamination," Howard said. The fumes are probably getting into the sewer via contaminated groundwater around fuel storage tanks. The fumes are believed to be from gasoline, or possibly diesel fuel, but no actual fuel has been found in the sewer lines. It's unclear how much has been spilled.
Complaints started coming in to the Botetourt County Public Works office Wednesday, said Public Works Director Kurt Hodgen. People in four locations, including the truck weighing station on I-81, said they could smell some sort of petroleum in their buildings, Hodgen said.
Once the sewer lines are flushed, workers will run a camera through them to see if there is a crack where contaminated water is leaking in, Hodgen said. Any leaks will be repaired immediately.
Howard said the first priority is to get the spill cleaned up. Afterward, the Pilot station will likely be required to test its storage tanks for leaks and make any necessary repairs.
Responsible parties are rarely fined in situations like this, Howard said.
"If they're even mildly cooperative, then we won't fine," he said. As an incentive for cooperation, Pilot will be partially reimbursed for the cleanup from the state's Underground Storage Reimbursement Fund.
Howard said federal law requires underground storage tanks be insured at $1million in case of spills, but since many smaller operators can't afford that kind of insurance, the state picks up the difference.
David Clark, general manager of the Pilot station, had no comment, except to say, "There's a lot of problems out here other than us."
Howard said he also is keeping a close eye on a small stream nearby, which he believes empties into Tinker Creek. Tinker Creek flows into Carvins Cove, the water supply for Roanoke. So far, there's no indication the stream has been contaminated.
LENGTH: Medium: 57 linesby CNB